We are the Shuttleworth Foundation

...and we fund people who are unafraid to re-imagine the world and the way we live in it.

...and we are trying to build an open knowledge society with limitless possibilities.

...and we hold a vision for a better future centered around open principles.

We are pleased to welcome Luka Mustafa to the Shuttleworth Foundation
Fellowship Program as of 1 March.

We would like to live in an open knowledge society with limitless possibilities for all.

To help us get there, we identify amazing people with innovative ideas, give them a fellowship grant, and multiply the money they put into their own project by a factor of ten or more.

If we are deliberate about finding great people, supporting and sharing their positive approaches for social change, the world will get better, faster. That is why we are looking for social innovators who are open at heart, have a fresh perspective on addressing challenges and have a very clear idea of their role in bringing about positive change.

Open Philosophy

Openness is at the core of the Foundation’s experiment in the world

We wanted to understand what would happen if the values, processes and licences of the FOSS world were applied to areas outside of software. Could that provide key building blocks for further innovation? What are the conditions that optimise innovation for positive social change? How can openness add value to that process? This is at the heart of the Foundation’s contribution to the world.

Fellowship

The only true way is not a project plan but a champion

The holy grail for every funder is sustained impact - an approach continuing to influence behaviour positively long after your funding has run out. We believe people, rather than systems or organisations, are at the heart of sustaining change. The only true way is not a project plan but a champion, someone who will drive an idea through an ever changing landscape, to continue to make a real difference in the world.

That is why we invest in individuals, building a family, not a portfolio. Each fellow is passionate about a unique cause they typically pursue both before and after the fellowship. We make a conscious choice not to limit our scope because we believe in the power of a diverse network. We strive to build a community of fellows who work together across disciplines, sparked by their similarities and strengthened by their differences.

Current Fellows

Dan Whaley

Enabling wide spread annotation on the internet.

Daniel Lombraña González

Creating a collaborative science framework for citizens and researchers.

Esraa Al Shafei

Tracking voices of protest from around the world.

Jesse von Doom

Building sustainability for artists on the open web.

Johnny West

Opening data in extractive industries.

Luka Mustafa

Developing a viable low-cost alternative to fiber in urban environments.

Peter Bloom

Deploying low-cost, low-power open source cellular networks.

Peter Murray-Rust

Liberating scientific fact from journals.

Seamus Kraft

Enabling citizen participation in government.

Sean Bonner

Creating open systems to empower people with data.

For more information about all those previously part of the fellowship program please view our alumni.

Thinking

What makes us tick

The more we share the thinking, working and practices of ourselves and our fellows, the better. Making these publicly available allows other organisations, project implementers, funders, policy makers, change agents, advocates and academics to engage - learn from what we have done, critically assess, give feedback and open the door to collaboration.